FOBS is the first formal group of station adopters in North Yorkshire, and has registered a stakeholder interest with Northern Rail. The group is made up of volunteers from the local community, including members of the Lancaster and Skipton Rail User Group, Bloomin' Bentham, BEST (Bentham Environmentally Sustainable Town), Craven District Council and the Leeds-Lancaster-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership.

Flying Scotsman at Bentham,

not once, not twice, but three times on

Thursday, 4th February 2016

The Flying Scotsman passing through for the third time on its loaded test run. (GT)

The Day In The Life Of Bentham is a photographic competition and exhibition. On Wednesday 29th July 2015 the Friends of Bentham Station (FoBS) are asking everyone in Bentham to take photographs of anywhere, anyone or any event in the whole parish between the
hours of 00:00 & 23:59:59. The photographs will be posted on a gallery page linked to the ‘We Are Bentham’ local trader’s association Facebook pages, as well as the FoBS and CRL websites.

Pupils from Bentham Community Primary School learnt about photography in a workshop.In order to encourage children to get involved in the ‘Day In The Life Of Bentham’ project a workshop was held for Class 4 pupils at Bentham Primary School. Veronica
Caperon led the workshop that showed the children the basics of photography and concentrated on colour, shape and texture.

FOBS Third Annual Coffee Morning

This year's coffee morning was held in Bentham Town Hall on Saturday, 24th January 2015. Around 80 local residents enjoyed the event which raised over £280 towards FOBS developments at the station. A big 'thank you'
from FOBS to all who came along and supported us.

A number of the pupils who were with us earlier this year returned to plan out and execute the planting of the spring arrangements for their new troughs.They were given information about a variety of bulbs FOBS and Blooming'
Bentham volunteers.

Further Successes at National Rail Awards 2014

At the National Community Rail Awards in Scarborough on 2nd October 2014, the two FOBS shortlisting became became a first place in the 'Small Projects - Under £500' category and a second place in the 'Essence of Community
Rail' photographic competition.

FOBS Third Anniversary Celebrations

Around 30 guests joined FOBS for their third anniversary celebrations, which coincided with the official opening of the Bentham Heritage Trail extension and the 60th anniversary of the 'new' station building.

MD Visits Bentham and the Bentham Line

Alex Hynes, managing director of Northern Rail stopped of in Bentham, during a visit to the Bentham Line, to meet the members of FOBS and view the improvements at the station.

Year 4 Pupils Visit Station

28 pupils from Year 4 at Bentham Primary visited the station on 3rd and 4th June for mathematics and art lessons with a Bentham Line theme.

FOBS and the Station Take Part in Carnival 14

The station was a hive of activity on Carnival Day, 31st May. Bedecked in flags and bunting the station was the venue for the FOBS 'pop-up' platform cafe, a miniature railway and an exhibition of railwayana, which included
many items from the Bentham Line.

Hertitage Trail Extension to Station

The Bentham Heritage Trail map and signposts have now ben=en put in place adjacent to the entrances on both platforms.

New Primary School Area

Poster cases and planting troughs have been installed next to the main station entrance to display pupil's artwork and encourage some colourful planting.

Luxury Leisure Park Opens at Station

Thanks to FOBS member Richard Wilson the birds around Bentham have a seven new luxury residences to enjoy, (one with its own swimming pool), high in the trees on the rejuvenated embankment.

At the National Community Rail Awards in Llandudno on 27th September 2013, the four FOBS short listings became a second place in the 'Small Projects - Under £300' category and a first place for the 'Outstanding Volunteer
Contribution' Award.

FOBS members attended a lunch, hosted by Community Rail Lancashire at their head quarters in Accrington Eco Station. Following a CRL display, about the recent work of station adopters in the North
West, and lunch, came the presentation of the awards for the CRL 'Station of the Year - 2013' Competition. FOBS was declared joint winner of the competition.

FOBS Shortlisted for National Rail Awards

FOBS will be heading west to Venue Cymru in Llandudno, North Wales on Friday 27th September 2013, to participate in the finals of the ACoRP (Association of Community Rail Partnerships) National Community Rail Awards 2013.
FOBS have been shortlisted for four of the awards in four categories; Community Art Schemes - Permanent Art Projects, Best Station Volunteers Project - Smaller Projects, Small Projects Award - £300 or less and Outstanding Volunteer Contribution.

Late July 2013 saw the installation of six hand-made window boxes to the old shelter on the westbound platform. They were made in his workshop adjacent to the station by Mike Barron. Bloomin' Bentham members arrived
shortly after the installation with some colourful planting.

Monday, 10th June 2013 was a very busy day down at the station. During the afternoon, the volunteers of Bloomin' Bentham were busy planting up both the eight new and four old half-barrel tubs with their summer displays,
thanks to sponsorship by fifteen members of the 'We Are Bentham' organisation. That same evening the members of FOBS and Bloomin' Bentham organised a 'thank you' strawberry tea for the sponsors.

A successful bid to the Designated Community Rail Development Fund has enabled the installation of greener gardening measures at the station. A water butt and compost bin have been positioned adjacent to both platforms
and linked to the existing gutters with diverter kits.

March 2013 saw the publication of the new joint Community Rail Partnership and Rail User Group poster to be placed on each 'designated' station on the Bentham Line between Skipton and Heysham. The first poster was placed
in one of the Partnership poster cases at Bentham.

February 2013. A joint proposal from FOBS and Bloomin' Bentham for the rejuvenation of the Station Bridge embankment near South View Terrace has been accepted by Network Rail and a licence for the works granted. Network
Rail will be supporting and helping with the project, starting this Spring. The embankment will be tidied, seeded trees removed, the fence put back in good order and finally a conservation area created for wildlife with the introduction of suitable planting,
nest boxes and habitats.

On Tuesday, 12th November 2012, Bentham station became the first, on the Bentham Line, to receive the new community rail signage and poster cases. One case will carry a history poster, a second
will be a community noticeboard and the third will be a display about the rail partnership. The funding for the project comes from the Designated Community Rail Development Fund, Northern Rail, North Yorkshire County Council and the Leeds-Lancaster-Morecambe
Community Rail Partnership.

Bentham Line Service Designation

On Monday 22nd October 2012, Community Rail Minister Norman Baker MP announced the service designation of the Bentham Line, at the House of Commons. The local community, FOBS, the Lancaster and Skipton Rail User Group
and the Leeds-Lancaster-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership will now be able to work more closely with the train operator, Northern Rail, to tailor the service to local needs.

FOBS celebrated their first anniversary with a buffet lunch. Guests included members of local voluntary groups and councils, the rail user group, the community rail partnership and Northern rail. Local artist Gill Barron
cut a cake, decorated with one of her paintings, to mark the occasion.

On 14th September 2012, local railwayman, Bryan Jackson, and Northern Rail Stakeholder Manager, Drew Haley, unveiled local artist Gill Barron's paintings, and an accompanying commemorative plaque,
which have been been installed thanks to a grant from Craven District Council.

The Royal Train spotted at Bentham

On 17th April 2015 The Royal Train, with Her Majesty The Queen onboard, paid a rare visit to the Bentham Line. (GT)